On the one year anniversary of the devastation and collapse of, not only the Gulf Coast, but it’s tourism industry, Travel Alliance Partners, LLC has returned to New Orleans, Louisiana and worked to support their tourism colleagues.

During the Annual meeting, three new Investor partners were added to the ranks of the 33 Premier Tour Operators in North America and $3800.00 worth of toys were delivered to St. Augustine’s Catholic Church’s children.

“This annual meeting exceeded our expectations in so many ways. Between accepting 3 new partners and seeing the joy on the children’s faces, it could not have been better,” said Serge Talbot, TAP President. TAP’s hope is to encourage all tour operators to help in the economic revival of the area via tourism by organizing tours to the region or purchasing the Guaranteed Departures currently being planned by TAP partners.

Joining TAP as investor partners are: Travel Adventures, Lapeer, Michigan. Primarily a student tour operator, Travel Adventures brings to TAP partners the ability to offer student touring to a market they may not currently be serving. Joy Tour & Travel, Cincinnati, Ohio has a great reputation in the Midwest focusing primarily on group and corporate incentive travel.

Their expertise with cruising on the Mississippi and Midwest rivers gives their new TAP Partners the ability to expand strategically in this market. Anderson Vacations, Calgary, Canada, has become one of the most progressive companies in all of Canada. With their web based FIT program for all of Canada, together with their expertise in the Great Northwest, they bring efficiencies that other TAP partners are needing to fill the strategic goals of the organization.

Representing each company are principals, Dave Snyder and John Krish, Travel Adventures; Joyce and Greg Wingham, Joy Tour and Travel; and Corey Marshall, Anderson Vacations.

“We have many very good friends in the Gulf, and we believe it is our obligation to visit and plan more visits for our customers to the region. Suppliers and Partners need to work hand in hand to help accelerate the tourism revival in the Gulf. We hope that this trip will encourage, not only TAP partners, but all tour operators in North America, to plan and execute tours in the region in the very near future. The Gulf’s tourism infrastructure is back!” said James J. Palmeri, Executive Director of Travel Alliance Partners, LLC

During the two day conference, discussions of official business of Travel Alliance Partners occured, including how to manage the fast growth of TAP, evaluate numerous partnership marketing agreements with destinations, decide on future TAP DANCE conferences and vote on adding new partners to the network.

The most rewarding part of TAP’s business in New Orleans were scheduled meetings with local suppliers, local and state tourism officials and the purchasing and delivering of toys to the children of St. Augustine Catholic Church.

“Lisa Holland of the New Orleans CVB, together with the State of Louisiana, the Baton Rouge and Lafayette, LA CVBs , the Riverbarge Cruise Co, Court of Two Sisters, Valentino Hotels and Landry’s Restaurants, made our stay productive and eye opening.. There was not a dry eye in the room when those kids opened early Christmas presents,” said Kate Scopetti, Vice President of Marketing for TAP.

The TAP Partners were escorted on a tour of the Katrina Devastation and worked on solutions to create more tourism opportunities in the region. The goal was to work together with these officials to create more travel packages to the region, which will in turn encourage economic revival.